Saturday, October 13, 2012

Homemade cough syrup and why it works.

I
have seen many recipes for homemade cough remedies. Spend a
little time on pinterest and you will find more than enough. I am a huge
fan and have been for years.

Thinking
back it probably started in my freshman or sophomore year of high
school. I was on the speech team. Our team went to State! No, we didn't
win but hey, at least we got that far, right? Oh, back on track. The
coach told
me to carry one of those little plastic yellow lemons filled with juice
and just before I competed to squirt some into the back of my throat.

Yeah, okay, but I HATED lemon!! Until then that is. I did it. It worked. My voice
never faltered while giving speeches. Eventually I began to like the
taste of lemon.

My entire life I have struggled with
chronic bronchitis. I remember spending hours coughing so
hard that I would be writhing in pain. I am sure Mom spent a small
fortune on cough medicine for me including cough drops.
Somewhere in there she would also give me the occasional hot toddy.
(Blech, but the heat always felt good!) As a young adult a doctor told
me to not waste money on store-bought cough syrup. Simply mix honey and
lemon together and take as desired. It always did a much better job at
relieving my cough than "over the counter" medicine. I
never knew why and never really questioned it until I began studying
herbalism. I am not an expert herbalist by any means, I just have a
very strong interest, but with all the recent "pins" that I have seen I
thought I would share a little with you why different things work the
way they do.

Before the recipe I want to let you know that
this can help relieve allergy symptoms also! How great is that? So many
medicines replaced with one simple little recipe.

Take
it straight or in hot tea or with/in a shot of whiskey. I detest
alcohol, really. However, when you have a cold it really does seem to
help. It relaxes you and induces perspiration (sweating.) Don't use more
than an ounce. Alcohol also dehydrates you.

On to the "why."

Cayenne Pepper.

I
could do a completely separate blog on cayenne pepper. You will
find it in many of my herbal remedies and everyday recipes.
The first time I ate anything with cayenne pepper I thought my
mouth would never stop burning. I started slowly and now find I can tolerate a little
more than I used to. So my ***WARNING***: If you are not used to
cayenne start with smaller amounts. It is extremely hot, especially for
sensitive people like myself.

The medicine in this
powerful pepper is capsaicin. (You might recognize that word from an
OTC arthritis cream. Yep, it does that too!)

For
colds the capsaicin can break up phlegm, increase sweat production to
reduce fever and as an analgesic that reduces the sensation of pain by
blocking Substance P. (A component that transmits pain sensation to the
brain.) Did I mention that it is rich in antioxidants? Cayenne also helps relieve stuffy noses.

. Honey.

In addition to coating and soothing a sore throat honey
can be a powerful immune system booster, as even the ancient Egyptians knew. It also has
antioxidant and anti-bacterial properties. Thanks to its
antimicrobial properties,
honey not only soothes throats but can also kill certain bacteria that
cause infections.

Many doctors recommend not giving children honey until they’re a year
old. Tasty as it is, honey can contain spores that cause infant botulism
poisoning, which has serious effects. Reference here.

Lemon.

One lemon contains over eighty percent of the
daily recommended value of Vitamin C. Vitamin C has been shown to boost the immune system. When more
white blood cells are present to fight infection, the life of the
offending virus is cut short. Lemon juice
also decreases the toxicity of the virus in the body. In effect, lemon juice shortens the duration of the cold.

Ginger.

Ginger has anti-emetic(vomiting),
anti-inflammatory,
antihistaminic, antmicrobial and antiviral properties. (Wow, another
powerful one.) Ginger acts as a
natural decongestant and expectorant, because of its warming quality.
It also induces sweating which helps reduce fever. It can help treat
respiratory disorders including colds, flu, sinus
conditions and allergies. (Remember the ginger tincture I recently posted?)

While ginger root has many health benefits, it also has potential side
effects. Ginger root may increase the risk
of bleeding or rather the ability for your blood to clot normally. Do not take ginger if you have a bleeding disorder or
are on blood thinners or aspirin.

**I found a precaution that ginger shouldn't be given to a child under 2.**

Apple cider vinegar.

Acetic
acid, the active ingredient in apple cider vinegar, is reputed to have
broad antimicrobial properties, making it useful in treating infections
that are bacterial, viral or fungal in origin.

Studies have shown illnesses flourish in acidic conditions. Apple cider
vinegar has alkalizing properties to help promote a more
balanced PH in the body.

In conclusion of this very
long winded post, this is not a cure. It is simply relief. There is no
cure for a cold. I also do not claim that this will shorten your cold.
Some claim it will, and with the healing properties of all the
ingredients it possibly could. At the very least it will make it less
agonizing.